The Emperor Shall Stand
by AhumbleHalofan
Summary: In a time long before the grim darkness of the far future and even before the evil of the golden age of technology mankind began its first steps into universe. The man that would, in another place and time, proclaim himself Emperor watched over his children from afar.


**I wrote this little snip-it because I have yet to find a single story on here that has the same idea. If the idea is an insult to all my fellow Emperor loving fellows please let me know. If it's great I wouldn't mind hearing that too.**

 **If anyone is slightly confused about the setting of my story I deeply encourage you to pay attention and read how I describe what we Warhammer 40k fans know as the warp. I'm not going to hold my readers hands. You guys have to figure stuff out on your own a little. Also to be clear as possible I am NOT going to include the Tau.**

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White stars twinkled against a backdrop of black. From the main viewport of the Normandy an entity that had taken Shepard for a transitionary title stared out. He was tall but not overly so. Clean shaven and hair cut burtally short with several tasteful scars -all fairly earned in the fires of war- were scattered across his face. He dressed cleanly in a blue System Alliance regulation naval uniform.

Barely a month ago the Shepard's plans to gain further influence with the alien council had succeeded. His newly minted status as one of their Specters had given him incredible official power within the alien realms. He would no longer have to work so quietly within the shadows to further mankind's survival. There was now room for greater risk.

No more quiet whispers to sleeping minds. No longer would a man-made nuclear Armageddon threaten the existence of his children. The worry of a Xeno boot heel crushing his people's throat would be laid to rest. All the immediate threats to man-kinds ascension would be silenced; in their due time. It would all begin with Saren. The menace that was the Turian Empire would be curtailed starting with the rogue that saw man for the threat it would become. Then once all was assured the real arch enemy would be fought.

Thinking of the arch foe the Shepard shuttered. Within the calm currents of the resting minds the enemy dwelt, only sleeping. The barest hint of an echo gave evidence to their existence. Barren planets of the cosmos gave but brief vent to the moans of their former inhabitants. Cries of horror, of fear and pain filled shrieks drifted through till they were only half remembered echoes of unremembered dreams. But for the Shepard that was enough.

For the home of souls was as familiar to him as the crevasses of lost lovers. Many millennia of experience and knowleydge gave keen insight into the very essence of the place of souls. Even now the Shepard could feel no stirrings within the eddies of emotion of a being similar to himself. Amongst his own species he was a unique specimen.

"Am I destined to be alone?" Murmured the Shepard.

It was a fleeting thought given unintentional voice. Even amongst the various Xeno species mankind had finally encountered the Shepard had found no other that was attuned to the eddies of the realm of souls. When he had first encountered those that could harvest the power of dark energy he had felt a moment of elation. But soon he grew disappointed at the tackiness of such parlor tricks. The Asari had proved to be the ultimate disappointment. With the briefest flex of his own power he had become adept at imitating the various effects of biotics.

"Alone?" Spoke a human woman. Unused to being startled the Shepard spun about. Unintentionally drawing on the eddies of home.

"Shepard, what do you mean alone?" Asked Ashely Williams. "I don't think it's possible to be alone in this tin can."

A beautiful human woman by any man's standards Ashely stared at the Shepard with mischievous brown eyes. A wye smile framed by midnight dark hair. Her thoughts were ever the slow sharp currents of purpose and faith.

"Of course Ashely. It's impossible to get a little alone time here." The Shepard smirked. "Is there something you needed?"

The Shepard could easily see the question clear as day upon Ashely's mind but he knew she would never ask. Just as he knew she sknew he would tell her no if she ever did ask. Such interpersonal distractions would do no good. Ashely was beautiful and her mind uniquely fascinating but over 10000 years of experience had taught him that interacting like _that_ would cause them both more grief than the brief passion was worth. He didn't want to see another face contorted in the agonies of lost childbirth or a grey haired haggard face bitter and filled with tears at the knowledge of their own mortality and that of the immortality of their lover or by far the darkest moment of his long life the fruitless pursuit to reclaim a soul from its resting place.

"Yeah Shepard. Joker wanted you to know that we're nearly to the planet. I don't understand why you, the Allience or the damn council would want us here. It's so far out of the way."

The Shepards smile deepened at the woman's side stepping of her longed-for question. "Thank you Ashely. But Joker could have easily told me himself over the intercom."

A pink hue of embarrassment flickered across the faithful womans heart. Ashely shrugged her shoulder. "I was in the cockpit with Joker and thought I'd just tell you myself."

"Thank you Ashely. I want you and everyone else assembled in the cargo bay. I'll explain the mission there." With a smile, he gave a final comment. "Make sure Wrex doesn't start any fights."

With her back to him Ashely waved an airy arm as she walked away. "That's a full-time job, Shepard."

The smile still clear across his face the Shepard stared back out into the stars. The trembling within the veil of souls came. With even greater strength than before a mighty maul of some distant hell opened again.

With a frown the Shepard focused again on the blighted anomaly. He had first felt it barely two days ago and he had immediately ordered the ship to go directly toward the system his power had indicated. The shear violence of the emotions that warred whenever that great mouth opened nearly staggered him. Such a disturbance within the peace of home could spread and build into a force the Shepard didn't want to consider. It was through purely his own will that prevented such an occurrence form happening; for the moment.


End file.
